Security flashlights are typically shock-resistant, heavy, multibattery-containing and operated, waterproof flashlights with a light source and lens at one end of an elongated casing or battery container. Batteries are inserted and removed from the one or other end. The light source is operated by a single on-off pressure or slidable flashlight switch, generally located and positioned toward the light source end of the flashlight.
In law enforcement, security, and military use, time is critical in the use of a flashlight to illuminate areas in generally low light or dark situations, in combat, and in emergency situations.
Squeeze or pressure-operated flashlights are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,731,712, issued Mar. 15, 1988, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,039,456, issued Mar. 21, 2000, which show small flashlights with flexible housings and wherein the flashlight is generally activated by light finger-thumb pressure. U.S. Pat. No. 5,434,761, issued Jul. 18, 1995, is also directed to a squeezable flashlight, but of the novelty-type, where manual squeezing of a selected region of a deformable novelty character body between thumb and fingers activates an electrical circuit to energize the novelty light. Flashlights that have flexible housings, or that are activated by light finger-thumb pressure, are not suitable equipment for use by security personnel.
It is desirable to provide for a new and improved flashlight, particularly useful as a security flashlight, and where prompt illumination is important.
The present invention relates to a flashlight and method adapted and constructed to provide light promptly in stressful, critical, and/or life-threatening emergency situations for security personnel, such as police officers, security officers, military personnel and firefighters. The flashlight of the invention is a security flashlight designed for use by police officers, security officers, military personnel and firefighters in performance of their jobs. It is used as a regular or standard part of the equipment of security personnel. It is made of a material that is durable, long lasting, heavy duty, and designed for years of service. Such materials are known to those of skill in the art of security equipment, e.g., metal, e.g., aircraft aluminum or a plastic material, e.g., such as a, polycarbonate composite.
Preferably, the flashlight of the invention is from six to twelve inches (6-12xe2x80x3) long, or can be longer.
In one aspect, the flashlight of the invention includes an elongated casing, or housing, having a one end and other end, a light source at the one end, and means at the one or other end to insert and remove one or more batteries within the casing to supply power to the light source. A handgrip area surrounds, and is peripheral to, a region of the underlying elongated hard casing.
The elongated casing is a hard casing. By xe2x80x9chard casingxe2x80x9d is meant that the hand grip pressure exerted by the user, on the handgrip area or coating to activate the light source, does not transfer through, distort, or deform the casing itself. In another embodiment, those skilled in the art of security equipment are aware that at times it may be necessary for security personnel to use a security flashlight to hit or strike a target or an object. Thus, it is preferred that the casing of the flashlight be resistant to breaks, cracks, or dents when used to forcefully strike an object.
The flashlight of the invention features an improved on-off light switch to activate the light source. The improvement comprises one or a plurality of spaced-apart, hand-operated, pressure-activated, on-off light switch means. The switch or switch means is generally peripherally arranged about the casing in the handgrip area as a band switch, or a plurality of spaced-apart switches forming a band, and the switch means disposed generally in a handgrip area, intermediate the one and the other end of the casing, to provide for rapid activation and deactivation of the on-off switch means by gripping hand pressure of the fingers and palm of the user against the radial pressure switch, in emergency situations.
The flashlight switch means comprises one or more user hand pressure-activated, light switch band or bands, which extend continuously about the periphery of the casing. The flashlight light switch comprises one or a plurality of generally elongated, spaced-apart, light switches, any one of which light switches, e.g., electrically connected in series, activate the power source.
In one embodiment, the flashlight switch means is designed, arranged, and constructed to respond only to hand pressure of the user that exceeds a particular or selected pressure in comparison to the normal user hand pressure by deliberate squeezing, to hold and direct the light source that has to cast the light, beam, illuminate for any distance from 1 to 21 feet (7 yards a critical zone) or 50 feet or 100 feet or more at any time. In emergency use, the user""s tightening or squeezing hand pressure can immediately activate and deactivate the switch or switches and illuminate or cease to illuminate the area, without the need for the user to shift the user""s hand or to use a thumb or finger. The advantage of being able to activate the light switch without shifting of the user""s hand, and without using a thumb or finger, is critical in stressful emergency situations. At such times, when time intervals of, e.g., fractions of a second, may be critical and may not permit the more time consuming act of reaching for the forward, on-off light switches conventional on traditional security flashlights, the hand grip mechanism of the flashlight of the invention confers a substantial, even lifesaving, advantage.
If desired, the light switch means may incorporate a variable resistance, so that turning of the band switch or the multiple switches will vary the intensity of the light source, without shifting or removal of the user""s hand from the handgrip area. The on-off or variable light switch should be generally positioned ergonomically in the middle or hand balance area of the flashlight and cover all, or substantially all, of the circumference, which will activate or deactivate without moving hand or the need to take eyes off target area (subject or danger) to coordinate looking for and operating a button or slide switch with the thumb or fingers.
In one embodiment, the entire handgrip area, or handgrip surface, of the flashlight is a switch itself, and the switch is activated by squeezing hand pressure anywhere on the grip area. In another embodiment, the switch means may comprise a plurality of separate, spaced-apart, elongated, longitudinal, extended peripheral switch pads on the exterior surface of the casing, e.g., 7 to 13 inches, any one of which, on hand squeezing, activates the light source. In a further embodiment, the switch means may comprise a single band or a plurality of spaced-apart, radial switches about the handgrip area, where the activation of the light source is accomplished by activated, full hand pressure on any one, or if desired, a selected plurality of the band switches.
The radial, pressure-activated switch or switches are designed to activate only when subjected to substantial hand or gripping pressure. The gripping pressure must exceed a normal or typical holding and directing pressure. Preferably, activation requires a gripping pressure of greater than 5 to 10 pounds per square inch. The switch may comprise metal, spaced-apart connectors separated by electrical insulators, and typically, tension or spring-biased to an outward off position. For example, the switch may comprise a continuous, inner metal band and an opposite, radial, spaced-apart, outer metal band electrically insulated and tension-biased away from the inner band, whereby radial, gripping, hand pressure permits electrical contact between the inner and outer bands to activate the light source.
Those skilled in. the art will appreciate that, to solve the security problems of the invention, the user must have total control over the decision to activate the light switch, and must also have control over deactivation of the light switch. For example, in critical or emergency situations such as those posed by crime or combat areas, it is essential that the security flashlight be prevented from illuminating at inappropriate times, such as when the cover of darkness is essential to the safety of the user, or to the success of a security mission. For that reason it is a critical feature of the invention that full hand pressure of the fingers, thumb, and palm must be applied to activate the switch to place the metal bands in electrical contact, to provide battery power to the light source. Gripping pressure applied by merely the fingertips or thumb would not be sufficient to activate the switch pads.
The light switch or switches may be positioned as light switches on the exterior surface of the handgrip area or be nonvisible and enclosed within a shock-absorbing, waterproof cover or coating on the casing. Typically, the handgrip area includes a knuckled or rough surface to provide an antislip area.
The security flashlight is activated by merely hand or squeeze, generally radial, pressure against the light switch means and avoids the user fumbling with the thumb or finger to find the on-off switch or removal of the user""s eyes from the target or area to be illuminated. The movement of the switch to the intermediate, visual, handgrip area of the flashlight also contributes to maintaining the balance of the flashlight.
The invention will be described for the purpose of illustration only in connection with certain illustrated embodiments; however, it is recognized that various changes, modifications, additions, and improvements may be made in the illustrative embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.